Bid for 20mph Bridgnorth speed limit trial fails
A bid for a blanket 20mph speed limit to be trialled in one of Shropshire's biggest market towns has narrowly failed to win backing.
The idea to bring in a pilot scheme in Bridgnorth – as well as selected villages – was put forward after a petition calling for a county-wide 20mph policy was presented to Shropshire Council’s performance scrutiny committee on Tuesday.
Councillors instead agreed to set up a group to look into the issue, after a previous group established several years ago to do the same thing fell by the wayside.
The petition, which was signed by 700 people, was presented by Shrewsbury town councillor Chris Lemon, who represents Radbrook, and Angela Warren, whose teenage son Joe was knocked from his bike while cycling home from the Priory School last September.
Councillor Lemon told the committee that blanket 20mph limits in residential areas had already been adopted by councils across the country, as well as a country-wide scheme in Wales, as a means to improve road safety and encourage active travel.
He said the petition had come about after the Priory held an active travel week last year, and a consultation with pupils and their families revealed “serious concerns” over the safety of cycling and walking to school due to poor infrastructure and vehicle speeds.
Councillor Julian Dean, who represents Porthill, also addressed the committee in support of the petition.
He said implementing a county-wide 20mph policy would be more beneficial and cost-effective than the council’s current piecemeal approach, which sees small zones brought in as and when local people and councillors push for them.
Councillor Claire Wild, chairing the meeting, proposed establishing a new task and finish group to examine the case for a 20mph scheme.
The committee heard that a previous group had never reported back its findings and recommendation after its final meetings were called off because of the pandemic.
Councillor Alan Mosley suggested a trial be carried out alongside setting up the group, to give it a case study to work with which could then be rolled out more widely if successful.
Labour group leader Councillor Julia Buckley, who represents Bridgnorth West and Tasley alongside fellow committee member Les Winwood, supported this proposal.
She said: “We can see how much it costs, how much we save and whether it works.
“I can think of the perfect town which is often forgotten in the south-east of the county, and I’m sure Councillor Winwood would join me in proposing Bridgnorth as the first town for the pilot.”
The committee was split over the proposal for a pilot scheme, with five votes for and five against, and Councillor Wild’s casting vote meant the amendment failed to pass.
Members then voted in favour of re-establishing the task and finish group.
